Author: (Filippi and Verany, 1859)
Polyacanthonotus rissoanus (Filippi and Verany, 1859)
Status in World Register of Marine Species:
Accepted name: Polyacanthonotus rissoanus (De Filippi and Verany, 1857) (updated 2009-06-25)
Diagnosis: body compressed, elongate, and tapering. Head narrow and elongate. Snout length about three times eye diameter; preoral portion shorter than eye diameter. Body, except for underside, tip of snout and branchiostegal membranes, covered with small, adherent scales. Anterior and posterior nostrils set close together. Teeth in jaws clawlike. Mouth small, posterior and falling far short of anterior edge of orbit. First spine of dorsal fin inserted well anterior to insertion of pectoral fin. Caudal fin reduced and merging with end of anal fin. Dorsal fin with 26-36 short, strong, isolated spines (the last double); pelvic fin with fulcral spine plus 7-11 rays; pectoral fin with fulcral spine plus 10 16 rays. Anterior gill arch with 23-28 rakers. Pyloric caeca 3, very short. Colour: off-white to tan to light grey; rayed portion of anal fin dark brown. Margin of opercular flap and posterior portion of mouth black; opercular flap, ventrum of head and anterior portion of mouth bluish. Size: variable regionally; to 36 cm (gnathoproctal length to 13 cm).
Habitat: benthopelagic at 650-1,800 m in the Atlantic, 500-2,800 m in the Mediterranean. Food: mostly small bottom invertebrates, predominantly crustaceans. Reproduction: sexually dimorphic; mature males have black nostrils.
Distribution: occurs in the north-eastern Atlantic off Ireland, the Azores and in the Mediterranean. Elsewhere, off South Africa and in the western Atlantic from Davis Strait to Cape Hatteras, Pacific Ocean off Australia.
Eggs, larvae and young stages. No data.
Otoliths (sagitta). No data.